Significance of echocardiographic evaluation for transcatheter aortic valve implantation

Cardiovasc Interv Ther. 2020 Jan;35(1):85-95. doi: 10.1007/s12928-019-00617-6. Epub 2019 Sep 9.

Abstract

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is widely accepted as an alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) for the treatment of severe aortic stenosis (AS). Existing scientific evidence demonstrates that TAVI is superior to SAVR, and it is expected that indications for the clinical applications of TAVI will be expanded in the future. Echocardiography plays a key role in perioperative assessment of patients undergoing TAVI. Preprocedural echocardiographic evaluation is important to determine the severity of AS in addition to patients' anatomical suitability for TAVI. Furthermore, echocardiography is essential for intraoperative guidance, assessment of complications, postoperative evaluation, and prognostic prediction. Inaccurate echocardiographic measurements and evaluation can lead to less-than-optimal/inappropriate treatment strategies in patients with AS. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the limitations of echocardiographic evaluation is important. This review summarizes the role of echocardiographic evaluation in patients undergoing TAVI.

Keywords: Aortic stenosis (AS); Echocardiography; Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aortic Valve / diagnostic imaging*
  • Aortic Valve / surgery
  • Aortic Valve Stenosis / diagnosis*
  • Aortic Valve Stenosis / surgery
  • Echocardiography / methods*
  • Humans
  • Prognosis
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement*